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Answers for buyers choosing and looking after Bluetooth-enabled auto-darkening welding helmets, including those used with a powered air system.
Welding fume is a health risk, and the HSE says that for arc welding a powered or supplied air respirator is the preferred option, ideally one that combines respiratory, eye and face protection with an assigned protection factor of at least 20. A helmet designed to work with a powered air unit gives you that combined protection in one piece of kit.Tight-fitting masks can become uncomfortable, and people then loosen or remove them. A powered system blows filtered air across the face, which many welders find easier to wear for a full shift. Check the unit's data plate and manual to confirm it suits the helmet you choose.
It depends on the work. The HSE points out that particulate filters do not protect against the gases that are present in welding fume. Depending on the process, the material and any coatings, your risk assessment may call for a combined filter that also deals with gases or vapours.Always use the filter types and breathing tube that the powered unit's maker approves for your helmet, as mixing parts can invalidate the protection. If you are unsure which filter your work needs, our team can help you choose, but the final decision should rest on your risk assessment and the maker's instructions.
Follow the maker's pre-use checks every time. These normally include a look at the filters, hose and seals for damage, checking the battery level, and testing the airflow with the flow meter or indicator supplied. Many units also have a low-airflow warning, and if yours does you should confirm it works as the manual describes.Do not weld if the airflow check fails or the warning does not work. Replace blocked filters as the manual describes, and keep a spare charged battery if you weld for long periods. The exact test method differs between units, so use the instructions that came with yours.
Reusable respiratory protective equipment needs regular thorough examination and, where appropriate, testing, carried out by properly trained people following the maker's instructions. The HSE's guidance on respiratory protective equipment says this should be monthly, or every three months if the equipment is used less often, with records of examinations, tests and repairs kept.This is separate from the quick check you do yourself before each use. Your employer or safety adviser should set the programme from the maker's instructions and your risk assessment, and worn hoses, seals and filters should be replaced promptly rather than waiting for the next scheduled examination.
On helmets with Bluetooth, a smartphone app can usually let you change settings such as shade, sensitivity and delay without taking the helmet off, check battery status and sometimes save groups of settings for different jobs. Some designs can also link to the welding power source so the lens reacts before the arc is struck.Features differ between makers and software versions, so read the manual to see what your helmet and app support. Always confirm that the shade you have set is suitable for the process and current before you strike an arc.
The shade range shows how dark the lens can be set when the arc is lit. A lower number lets through more light, which is helpful for low-current work where you need to see detail, while a higher number is darker and suits higher currents. A wide range lets one helmet cover a variety of jobs.The right shade depends on the process and the welding current, and it is normally taken from the shade selection table in the relevant standard or the helmet manual. If the process you use needs a darker or lighter shade than the range allows, that helmet is not suitable for it.